Ants are common insects, so how many ants are there on the earth? The estimates given by a latest scientific study are: at least 200 million.

2025/04/0816:13:44 science 1797

Ant is a common insect, so how many ants are there on the earth? The estimates given by a latest scientific study in are: at least 200 million.

Data map Xinhua News Agency Published

Researchers from the University of Würzburg, University of Hong Kong, China and other institutions published a paper in the latest issue of the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. In order to more accurately estimate the total number of ants on the earth, they used standardized methods to summarize data from 489 previous studies on the density of ant population from different regions of the world. There are currently about 15,700 known ant species and subspecies on the earth. After extrapolated these data, they estimated that there are 30 million ants living on the surface alone, and the total number of all ants on the earth is at least about 200 million. Researchers explained that humans still have incomplete knowledge about ants. Most of the current statistical research on ants is limited to the surface, with less attention on trees or underground. In addition, relevant statistics are limited in Africa and northern Asia.

Although the ant is small, it wins by quantity. This international scientific research team introduced in the paper that the total biomass (in terms of dry carbon) of .2 billion ants can reach about 12 million tons, which is greater than the total biomass of birds and mammals in all wild natural environments.

Ants play a crucial role in most ecosystems around the world. They can help spread seeds, turn the soil to increase nutrient effectiveness, and many animals feed on ants.

research team believes that estimating the total number of ants can help scientists grasp the number and biomass distribution of ant populations in different regions. In the future, continuous observation will help timely grasp the changes in ant habitat and quantity caused by factors such as climate change, and better protect the ecosystem.

(Original title: Latest estimate: The total number is about 200 million!)

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Process Editor: TF063

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